Virginia families receiving SNAP benefits will be able to purchase groceries online

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) – Gov. Ralph Northam announced that beginning next Friday, May 29, families receiving SNAP benefits will be able to purchase groceries online.

Northam said more than 740,000 Virginians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be able to pay for their groceries online and have them delivered after the USDA approved the state to participate in an innovative online purchasing pilot program.

“Allowing Virginia families who receive SNAP benefits to purchase groceries online and have them safely delivered to their homes will give vulnerable populations additional flexibility to put food on the table without putting themselves at unnecessary risk,” Northam said in a news release Friday.

The program will launch with online shopping access available through the Amazon and Walmart. Additional retailers that are interested in participating in the program can find more information and apply by contacting USDA.

Virginia officials say the transactions will take place using SNAP customers’ secure Personal Identification Numbers.

SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay for fees of any type, such as delivery, service, or convenience fees.

“I’m grateful that following our request, the USDA has approved Virginia’s inclusion in the SNAP online purchasing pilot program,” said Sen. Tim Kaine.

Northam said the pilot, mandated through the 2014 Farm Bill, was designed to test the convenience of allowing USDA-approved retailers to accept online transactions.

For more information about SNAP benefits in Virginia and the online shopping availability visit the VDSS website.